Chaeles w



(No Model.)

i 0. w. HELD & R. B. oom-1.

LIFE GUARD AND TRAGK GLEARER.

Patented Feb. 19,1884.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. HELD AND RICHARD B. LOOKE, OF BROOKLYN, NEVV' YORK.

LIFE-GUARD AND TRACK-QLEARER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,653, dated February19, 1884.

Application filed April 7, 1883. (No model) I v To all whom it mayconcerni- Be it known that we, OHARLEsW. HELD and RICHARD B. LooKn, ofBrooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have jointly inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Life-Guards and Track-(hearers,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,referencebeinghad to the accompanying "for the purpose of preventingpersons or obj ects upon the track from being run over by the wheels ofthe car, obviating danger and damage to the person, as well as keepingthe track free of obstruction.

The objects of our invention are to provide a simple, cheap, and durableguard for the wheels and clearer for the track, which may be readilyapplied upon cars of any ordinary construction, which will, whensoapplied, .be

'free to move quickly and easily against the car-wheel, (by which therevolving block is turned,) and which will not be likely to becomedamaged or disarranged during ordinary use.

To accomplish these objects our improvements consist, essentially, incertain novel and useful means of suspending the revolving guards inpositiouwith respect to the car-- wheels, and certain novel and usefulpeculiarities in the construction of the guards or revolving blocks, allof which will be herein first fully described, and then pointed out inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figurelis a side elevation, showing the lower part of a car and our improvedlifeguards and track-clearers mounted thereon. Fig.2 is an endelevation, showing the same. Fig. 3 is a plan of the bottom of the car,showing the longitudinal strips inside the wheels, intended to serve asan attachment for the inner hooks or eyes by which the inner arms of thehangers are sustained. Fig. 4. is a sectional elevation, (enlarged,)showing the form and construction of the revolving blocks, and thehangers by which they are suspended from the car-frame. In all thesefigures like letters or reference,

parts.

The cars to which our improvements are intended tobe applied may be ofany of the ordinaryforms. y

A A represent the car-wheels mounted upon axles B B. G O are theaxle-boxes, upon which the body of the car is mounted, and D D representthe usual exterior string-pieces. In these string-pieces, at suitableintervals with respect to the wheels, we apply the hooks a a, for thereception'of the ends of the outside parts of the hangers. These hooksare shown as open to receive the hangers; but obviously they might bemade in the form of rings or eyes. They are preferably screwed into thewherever they occur, indicate corresponding string-piece or. otherconvenient substantial part of the car-frame. The inner sides or ends ofthe hangers are sustained by similar hooks or eyes applied upon interiorstringpieces, E E,or upon any equivalent supports.

F F are the hangers, and G Gthe revolving blocks or guards. The hangersare each made of a single piece of metal, pass through the blocks toform axles therefor, andare loosely swung in the hooks or eyes, (not sothat they will become displaced,) in order that the blocks may ride freeand clear of the wheels until struck by any object. When they strike thewheels, they are made to revolve in the opposite direction from thewheels, and thus throw any object from off the track The blocks orguards G arepreferably made of cast-iron, hollow in' order to insurelightness, but of sufficient strength to withstand any ordinary usage towhich they may be subjected. The wearing-surfaces of these blocks may beroughened or corrugated in any suitable manner, if desired, in order toinsure turning as soon as they are forced against the wheels. Each blockhas an elongated hub or projecting part, to pass by the flange of thecar-Wheel and allow the exterior surface of the block to strike fairlyagainst the tread of the car-wheel, and also a smaller projection on theopposite side, as at g, in order to keep the block from wearing againstthe hanger, as it would otherwise do. The hangers 'may be passed throughthe hollow blocks and afterward bent to proper shape; or they may befirst formed and then placed in the mold and the blocks cast aroundthem. Vhen the open hooks are employed to sustain the hangers, thelatter are simply hooked into place, and if the hooks are deep enoughwill not be accidentally displaced. Any convenient means of locking themor keeping them in the hooks may be adopted, if required. In case ringsor eyes be employed instead of the hooks, then the ends of the hangersmay be sprung through the rings or eyes, and will be kept fromaccidental displacement by reason of their spring power. Side guards toprotect the space between the wheels on each side of the car may be madeby connecting the hangers on each side by any suitable rods'or braces.The improved guards are intended to be applied in front of each of theforward and in rear of each of the rear wheels, and may also be appliedbetween the wheels on each side of the car, if desired.

The construction of the hangers is simple, cheap, and efficient, andthey require no alteration of the car in order to apply the guards forwork. They may be applied without the use of special tools, and by anyordinary mechanic.

The revolving guards are durable and serviceable, not likely to bedamaged or disarranged, amply strong to remove any object from thetrack, and they may be cheaply made.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a life-guard and track-clearer, the herein-described hanger forthe revolving block, the same being made of a bar or red of metalpassing through the block in order to form the axle thereof, extendingup on both sides of the block andarranged to be applied k upon theear-body and to swing thereon, substantially in the manner and for thepurposes set forth.

2. In a lifeguard and trackclearer, the hanger for the revolving block,made of a bar or rod of iron passing through the block, the

hooks 0r rings for connecting said hanger with the ear-body, and therevolving block, all combined and arranged to permit the hanger to swingfreely in its supports, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a life-guard and track clearer, the revolving block arranged toswing in front of the car-wheel, the same being cast hollow andadmitting the axle, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The herein -described hollow revolving block or guard, provided withthe projecting hub on one side to clear the flange of the carwheel andanother hub or projection on the opposite side to prevent wearingagainst the hanger, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our handsin the presence of two witnesses.

. CHAS. \V. HELD. RICH. B. LOOKE.

\Vitnesses:

DAVID F. MANNING, AUGUSTUS M. P121011

